Cleaner



F. SEBOK June 19, 1945.

CLEANER Filed March 6, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 1 June 19; 1945;

CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March '6, 1941 Patented June 19, 1945 CLEANER Frank Sebok, Chicago, Ill., assgnor to United SpecialtiesCompany, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware 'Applicatibn March 6', 1941-, serial No. 382,002

('ol. 18a- 91) 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an air cleaner of the type generally referred toas a pre-cleaner." It has for one object to provide a cleaner for removing solid matter from moving air or gas of any nature. Another object is to provide such a precleaner free from moving parts. Another object is toprovide alcleraner or separator of the type indicated Lformed of a minimum number of parts. Another object is to provide a cleaner or separator arranged to provide means for giving the'entering air awhirl'ing motion,` to provide a pocket orchamber into which solid matter may be discharged, and to provide means for reducing the whirlingmovement of the air as it leaves the .Separator- Y l v Other objectsvwill appear from time to time throughoutthe specification and the claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:v

, Figure 1 is a side elevationof one form of the device with parts broken away and parts in section; v

Figure 2 is a bottom elevation;

.Figure 3 Vis a transversesectional detail with parts omitted, taken at line 3-3 of Figure 1 look ing in the direction of the arrows shown:

Figure 4 is a` sectional detail taken at line 4 5 of Figure 1; y

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevationl showing in detail a portion of the fanf l Like parts are-designated by like characters throughout .the specification and the drawings.

. As shown,. the cleaner or separator comprises a main housing formed of two shells which provide between themselves a settling space to receive matter deposited out of the air or gas-which moveszthrough the cleaner or separator. there is an inner shell I Awhich is generally round in crosssection and may have an upper necklike portion 2, and about which may be positioned an additional upwardly extending Ynecklike member 3. This may be adjustably mounted upon the member 2 or may be of a predetermined length and adjustment. ber I is provided with a laterally extending flange 4 and a downwardly depending portion 5 which' terminates in an inwardly bent flange kEwhich is shaped to grip a flange l of the outer shell member 8. At its upper end the outer shell member may have a relatively flat portion`9 upon which a gasket orv sealing member III may be mounted.

The-member 8 terminates in an upwardly ex- Thus,

Toward its bottom the mem,

is provided with one or more openings I1.

edge I3 adapted to be seated against the sealing or gasket member I0. It is also provided with a thumb nut I4 which is positioned in an opening I5 and which may have an outwardly turned flange I4a. by means of which it is held rotatably within the perforation I5. The bottom of the cleaner is closed by a platelike member I6 which Cen-v trally it is provided with a cylindrical portion IB within which may be positioned a tubular member I9 which is provided at its upper end with a flange 2D, and which has secured to it at its lower end a tubular member 2| which is flared outwardyly as at 22 and slotted as at 23 to provide adjustment. A clamping band 24 is positioned about the member 22 and the slots 23, is provided with ears 25 and a screw 26 by means of which the ears are adjustably pulled together to clamp the member about any suitable passage intowhich air is vto move as it leaves the cleaner.

A fan member is positioned within the casing and preferably justabove the openings I l. It comprises a rounded or cylindrical portion 2l preferably secured to the cylindrical portion I9 and positionedv against the flange 2l) as shown in Figure 1. A plurality of fan blades 28 extends outwardly from the portion 21 and across or substantially across the various openings I'I.

As a positioning means to insure proper positioning of the members I and 8 with respect to the member I6, a depression or notch 29 may be formed in the member I, and a pin 30 or its equivalent may be positioned in the member I6, and when the two fit together, as shown in Figures 1k and 2, the housing and the base member are satisfactorily positioned with respect to each other. l

Obviously, the fans impart some rotary or whirling movement to the-air. Additional means for whirling the air may be provided. One such means is shown in the curved member o-r helical deflector 3l. As shown, this member includes the outstanding portion 3| and a ange32 by means of which it may be fastened by welding or otherp wise to the inner face of the wall I.

A baille or straightener member 33 is positioned partially within the space dened by the member I and extends downwardly through the various tubular sections I9 and 22. As shown, it is provided with a pair of lugs 34 which are oppositely bent with respect to each other and are secured to the inner face of the tubular member I9. Extending upwardly from the member 33 is a rod 35 which is threaded asat 36 at its upper end to receive the thumb nut I v4. By this construction, the housing formed of the members l and 8 and the cover plate I2 are removably secured to the rest of the separator. straightener member 33 may be of many shapes, it is for some purposes an advantage to give it the shape shown. Thus, it may be cut away or reduced as at 3l and laterally extended or enlarged as at 38. The positioning means comprising the members 29 and 30 insure proper positioning f the housing with respect to the straightener so that, as shown, the cut away portion 3l is generally in line with and closest to the While the member 3l, and the enlarged or laterally extended portion 38 is positioned as far away from the device, it will be understood that many.

changes in the form, shape and arrangementv of parts might be made without departing from the spirit of this invention, and it is `wished that the i showing be taken as, in a sense, diagrammatic.

The use and operation of this invention are as follows:

The cleaner or separator of this invention may be used for removing a variety of materials from a quantity, and preferably from a moving stream, of gas. One common use is asa pre-cleaner for the intake `air which is passing into an internal combustion engine. Such air may be passed from this cleaner to a final cleaner, if desired, but the use of the present invention is' not limited to an arrangement which includes an additional cleaner.

When the apparatus is in use, air is drawn into the chamber defined by the inner shell. It is drawn through the openings which are in the bottom of that shell and the fan blades positioned across those vopenings cause the' air to rotate. The curved baffling or guiding member positioned within the chamber also causes rotation of the air. As the air is caused to rotate, the heavier particles tend to separate outwardly by centrifugal force and they are carried upward and pass through the restricted opening at the top of the inner shell vor chamber defining member.

Air moving through this opening loses velocity and the solid matter is dropped and falls 'into the annular space defined between the inner and outer shell. The air, after having entered the primary chamber I'and after having deposited its burden of foreign matter, passes downwardly through the clean air outlet passage. As it moves in this direction, it ii-ows past the straightener, and rotation of this portion of the air column is reduced and nnally completely stopped'because, as shown in the figures, the straightener extends fully across the clean air outlet conduit.

The straightener is preferably cut away from the baille or air rotating means which is positioned within the inner shell. Experience has shown that if it is extended in size so that it cornes close to this rotation producing baie, it tends to counteract the effect of that chamber. {encait is preferable to cut it away as shown. It may also be extended toward the side of the inner shell as shown, but this extension occurs at the point of the straightener which is farthest from the inner rotation producing baffle. Since, as just described, a certain position of the straightener with respect to the inner rotation producing baffle is desirable, it is preferable to provide means for deiinitely positioning the shells which produce the chambers with respect to the floor member which carries the outlet conduit and the straightener. Hence, the pin which is secured to the door member and is shown in Figure l in particular is provided, and correspondingly a depression or socket is formed in the inner shell to receive it. Thus, the parts can be assembled only in the properly positioned relationship. Of course, almost any means for accomplishing this positioned relationship may be used, and the invention is not limitedto the particular arrangement of pin and socket shown.

I claim:

1. In combination n an aircleaner of the centrifugal type, wall means dening a doublewalled housing, means defining a bottom for said housinghaving perforations therein, means adjacentsaid perforations for imparting rotation to entering air, an additional means positioned 4within. said housing upon one wall thereof and adapted to impart rotation to said air, the upper ends -of the double-wall structure being open, and a single cover adapted removably to be positioned upon said housing and to close the upper end of* the outermost of said walls, and to leave free a path for air from within the inner wall to the space between the two walls, and a clean air outlet positioned centrally of said double-wall housing and extending downwardly below said bottom member, and an arrester xed to said clean air outlet in line with one end of said additional rotation imparting means and positioned partially within it and partially within said housing members.

2.,In an air cleaner of the centrifugal type, wall means defining a primary separating chamber, and a settling anddust-receiving chamber positioned thereabout and concentric therewith, means dening an inlet opening to said primary separating chamber, and means dening a clean air outlet from said last mentioned chamber, means adjacent the inlet to said primary separating chamber adapted to impart rotation to entering air, and additionalmeans within said primary separating chamber secured upon one Side of the wall of said primary separating chamber and adapted vto impart rotation to air passingthrough said chamber, and an air arrester positioned partially within said clean air outlet and partially within said separating chamber, and means for positioning the housing with respect to the bottom member whereby the arrester is suitably aligned with respect to one end of the second air rotating means. i

3. In combination, in an air cleaner, a wall dening a primary` chamber having an entrance,

and means for giving entering air rotary movement, a wall deiining a secondary chamber of annular crosssection positioned about and surrounding said primary chamber, said first-named wall having an opening leading vfrom said primary to said secondary chamber, means positioned on the inner surface of said primary chamber shaped to guide air passing therethrough for movement axially with respect to said annular chamber Aaway from said entrance, a clean air outlet conduit, and a unitary cover for both of said chambers, and means for removably holding it in place to close the end of said separator remote from said entrance.

4. In combination, in an air cleaner, a wall dening a primary chamber having an annular entrance in one end thereof, means for giving the air entering through said entrance a rotary movement, a wall dening a secondary chamber extending about and surrounding said primary chamber, said primary chamber having an end wall with an opening adapted to permit air to ow from the primary to the secondary chamber, a guiding element positioned at one side of said 6. In combination, in an air cleaner, an air discharge duct, a cleaner housing mounted at primary chamber, adapted' to give air passing 5. In combination, in an air cleaner, an air.

discharge duct, a` cleaner housingmounted at the end thereof, said housing including an inner wall defining a primary chamber having an air inlet adjacent said air discharge duct, said wall having an axial dust Voutlet aperture at the end of said primary chamber opposite to said air discharge duct, an outer wall surrounding said inner wall and dening, with it, a dust receiving space in communication with said dust outlet aperture, and meansk for causing the air entering said primary chamberto take a rotary movement, including a helical deflector secured to the inner face of said inner wall, and extending between the air inlet and the dust outlet aperture.

the end thereof, said housing including an inner Wall defining a primary chamber having an air inlet adjacent said air discharge duct, said wall having an axial dust outlet aperture at the end of said primary chamber opposite to said air discharge duct, an outer wall' surrounding said inner Wall and defining, with it, 'a dust receiving space in communication with said dust outlet aperture, means for causing the air entering said primary chamber to take a rotary movement, including a helical deflector secured to the inner face of said inner wall and extending between the air inlet discharge duct and the dust outlet aperture, said inner and outer Walls having generally cylindrical Vportions concentricv with the axis of the air discharge duct, said air discharge duct having a vertical axis passing through said dust outlet aperture, said outer wall having a top opening generally concentric with said dust outlet aperture, and a removable cover closing said aperture and having a central portion spaced upwardly from said dust outlet aperture.

FRANK SEBOK. 

